Gender Announcement Cookies by Montreal Confections {Guest Post}

Okay, this isn’t really what I had planned today. If you want to know the truth, I was thinking more along the lines of a boring old talk on icing consistency. But when Marlyn sent this idea my way, I got SOOOOOOOOOO excited, I knew my jabbering would have to wait. This is COOL stuff.

A little history for those of you who haven’t yet met her. Marlyn, AKA, Montreal Confections, is one of my oldest {in duration, not age) cookie friends, and a mentor. Besides being supremely talented and the creator on one of my all-time favorite cookies, I really enjoy Marlyn’s company also.

Many of you might have heard of gender reveal parties, which have recently become quite popular. Often they are celebrated with a cake or cupcakes, but Marlyn came up with a cookie version of these sweets so we cookie decorators could join in the fun.

I’m tempted to gush, but I think you’d rather see. Take a look at what she’s baked up. THIS. LADY. IS. GENIUS.

While I’m not sure who came up with the idea of a gender announcement desserts, what a wonderful idea it is!

For those of you who aren’t familiar with gender announcement parties, allow me to explain. When it’s time to have an ultrasound, instead of revealing the sex of the baby immediately, parents request that the technician write the babies gender on a piece of paper and place it in a sealed envelope. They then take it to their favorite bakery where a “Gender Reveal Cake” is created by using gender appropriate buttercream between the inside layers, then frosting the outside in plain white.

After that, the parents-to-be invite their friends and family to join them for a “Gender announcement party”. The cake is then cut in the company of family and friends to reveal the most wonderful surprise.

This idea is fun because it allows the whole family to share in the joy instead of just the parents. This idea can also be done with cupcakes, which is equally adorable, BUT today it’s all about the cookies!!

For the sake of these photos I colored the cookie dough much darker than I normally would. This caused the color to show through the white royal icing. When making these, I recommend to coloring the dough a little lighter and adding bright white gel coloring to the icing to make it less translucent.

Once the dough is colored, it’s time to roll and cut the cookies. You will need two round cookie cutters, one about 3/4 of an inch smaller in diameter than the other. I used a scalloped round cutter and then a simple round cutter for mine.

Begin the process by rolling the colored dough to about half the thickness you normally do. Using the smaller cutter, cut out a round disks and place them on a cookie sheet. When they have all been cut, freeze the colored cookies.

Once the colored cookies are frozen, roll out the regular dough to the usual thickness. Place the colored disc on the plain cookie dough and press into the dough till it is flush. Be sure to take the colored discs out one at a time so they don’t thaw as you work.

When the dough is combined, use the larger cutter and cut out the cookie.

Transfer the 2 pieces together onto a cookie sheet, I then placed the cut cookies in the freezer to set.

Once they are set, bake as usual.

When the cookies have cooled, outline the cookies at the outer edge of the colored cookie dough, then flood. Obviously, it’s very important to completely hide the colored cookie disc.

Very, very cool! And Daisy is adorable!

What a fun idea!!! Thanks for sharing!!

Marlyn is my hero and cookies like this are why!! She is so incredibly talented and she is so sweet and helpful! These cookies are brilliant and the stork design is stunning!!! Thanks Marlyn and Callye for showing us this post! It is awesome!!!

Really like this idea. Daisy is beautiful. Love our furbabies. Is she a goldendoodle?

What a cool idea!

LOVE LOVE LOVE! I’m due in September. We are planning a gender reveal party. I think they are so fun. I was planning on cake, but cookies are even better! I never even though of doing it with cookies. Genius!

OBSESSED!!! Cannot wait to make these. Thank you so much for sharing!

What kind of a pup is that? I have a goldendoodle and they look similar. She is ADORABLE!

This year, I told my husband, my mhoter and my MIL that I needed to not go not go anywhere or do anything. So, I am giving myself permission to not try to please the other mhoters and just take this Mother’s Day for me! Is that wrong??

The cookies are adorable- what a fancy stork! But I want to know what kind of dog that is? My daughter wants a little dog like that someday and I am curious what breed it is.

I love the idea of a gender announcement party and for cookie bakers, this is a wonderful way to celebrate. Thanks for sharing this idea and ALL your great ideas and posts! I, too , want to know what the breed of that adorable dog is???

That idea so original and so cool to communicate the sex of the baby sharing the sweet moment with your family and friends. I feel fantastic

Ohhh what a great idea!!!

Adorable cookies, but the puppy is my true love. Is Daisey a goldendoodle? She looks a lot like our goldendoodle, Reggie, looked when she was a pup. Puppies are the love of my life…..you know, besides my husband…

Oh wow, I’ve never seen anything like that. SO clever! 😀

wow! what a creative and yummy way to reveal gender

Oh what timing Callye & Marlyn! My daughter is currently planning her gender reveal party! She and her hubby will be finding out if my first grandchild will be a boy or a girl on March 30th! Thanks for the super cute idea!

Oh my gosh — the cookies are amazing but Daisey steals the show! And she’s a Cockapoo! We have one who’s 7 — best breed we’ve ever had!! Have fun!

What a fun cookie, and sooooo pretty!!

How did you get the stork onto the outside of the cookie. I’m not thinking gender reveal, i’m thinking wedding cookies with these. The inside is going to be one of the wedding colors, and the outside will be the other with white and gray frosting on the tops (the grooms men are wearing grey Tux’s). But how did you do the storks?

Daisey is so sweet! YAY for a new puppy:)These cookies are fabulous! I love the icing …the artwork is gorgeous.

What a terrific idea!

What a wonderful post. I have never heard of a gender reveal party but sounds like a great idea. I am a beginner at cookie decorating and have no idea how the stork portion was made. I am assuming it was a mold. If so, can you tell me where to purchase. Would greatly appreciate any help!

Hmmm… I will definitely be making these soon! 🙂

This is quite possibly the best idea I’ve seen yet for cookies. I absolutely adore your website. Not brave enough to attempt my own yet (still trying to master cakes) but you’ve inspired me to try in the near future. Thanks for all you do!

These cookies are beautiful! I am making gender reveal cookies for my friend and would like to try this technique but I was wondering…..once you freeze the cookies, do you let them come to room temperature before baking?